The Contract
by LemonLimeMaid
Summary: When Yuki's safety is threatened, Kaname bribes Zero into protecting his beloved human fiance. Zero reluctantly agrees to become responsible for her safety. But when she proves to be a handful, he realizes he's in for more than he bargained for. Zero/Yuki. Like what you read? Please visit my website (the link is available on my profile) for future chapters of this fanfiction.
1. Chapter 1

Kaname reclined back in the armchair, flicking his gaze from Zero to the red liquid in the wineglass he held, the stem of the glass placed between his middle and ring finger.

"So what do you say, is it a deal?" Kaname's silk voice seemed to taunt him.

There was a moment of silence before Zero leaned back with a deep sigh, contemplating the offer. His pale gaze skimmed over the paperwork in his hands.

Was what he was offering even possible? If it _was_ possible Kaname Kuran would definitely be the one who could make it happen. He was the type to have special connections, no doubt.

The warm light of the crackling fire danced in the dimly lit room. Zero found himself sitting in an overly elegant couch in front of none other than Kaname Kuran, a very wealthy pureblood vampire and a famous one at that. "You want me to risk _my_ life to protect _your_ fiancé?" Zero repeated, skeptically.

"As I said, it will be worth your while, I assure you." Kaname retorted. "However, if you fail, it is only fair that you forfeit your life as well. Assuming that you are as good as they say you are, then that will not be an issue."

It wasn't an issue, but Zero _really_ didn't want to work for a Vampire. His eyes narrowed. "Why does she need protecting to begin with? Why can't you protect her yourself? And who are these people that are after her? Or is it _you_ that they're after?"

"There was a recent attempt on her life. That's all you need to know. I would do it myself but being who I am, I must travel frequently and there are times when she cannot accompany me on my trips. It isn't your place to ask questions. All that you need to know, is that her life is in danger and all that you need to _do_ is make sure she remains safe, give her peace of mind." Kaname explained, concealing his agitation for the silver-haired hunter in front of him. "All I need is a simple yes or no." Kaname offered a pen to sign the papers.

Zero sat up again to accept the pen, trying to take the situation seriously. He tentatively pressed the pen to the contract page, chewing the side of his cheek, still a bit hesitant to sign his life away, especially to a pureblood. But if he agreed to do this… It would be worth it. How could he resist such a proposal? He ran a hand through his hair and sighed again. "Fine," he finally agreed. He quickly signed his signature on the line and it was decided. Zero handed the papers back, rather tired of looking at them.

Kaname remained emotionless as he accepted the signed contract form. "Thank you, Zero." Kaname stood, as did Zero. "You made the right choice." They formally shook hands. "You start immediately. I shall introduce the both of you and then I will show you your sleeping quarters. I have a long trip ahead of me, so let's make this as quick and painless as possible."

Zero was taken off guard. That progressed quickly. "W-wait, I don't have any clothes or weapons, nothing. How do you expect me to-"

Kaname interrupted, "I will send for your things immediately. They will be here by tomorrow morning. I will also be more than happy to provide you with any additional supplies you may need."

Zero didn't reply. It was as if Kaname had known the whole time that he would agree. It made him wonder what Kaname would have done if he had refused the deal… The newly appointed bodyguard exhaled deeply, following Kaname up the extravagant staircase and through the winding hallways until they reached their destination. Kaname halted before a door, knocking lightly.

"Come in," replied a muffled feminine voice.

Kaname opened the door to reveal a tiny young girl sitting up in an oversized canopy bed, clad in a pink nightgown, with long chocolate locks framing her delicate features which noticeably lit up upon seeing Kaname. "Kaname!" She shouted, springing from her sheets and flinging herself into his awaiting embrace. "I thought you might have forgotten to tell me goodbye before you left."

"I would never," Kaname replied. "I was just finishing up a last-minute business deal with Mr. Kiryuu, here." Kaname pulled back from her hold in order to gesture over to Zero who had been standing quietly in the doorway.

Yuki's expression darkened, taking in Zero's appearance with uncertainty.

"Don't worry, Yuki," Kaname soothed, "He is the best and will keep you safe."

Yuki eyed Zero's solemn form and turned back to Kaname before her eyes turned downcast toward the floor, "I wish you didn't have to go," her voice barely audible.

Kaname knelt down to her, gently raising her chin and forcing her to look at him. "I promise you, I won't be gone long. You'll be perfectly safe." Kaname's hand caressed her cheek lovingly. Yuki brought her hand up to cover his, leaning into his touch.

Zero shifted uncomfortably, averting his gaze from the two lovers.

"I know," Yuki replied before reluctantly leaving Kaname's embrace and approaching Zero, cheerfully introducing herself, "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Kiryuu. I'm Yuki Cross, soon to be Yuki Kuran. Thank you for coming all this way and risking your life to help us."

Zero looked at her, a bit taken off guard. Regaining his composure, he accepted her outstretched hand and shook it. "Uh, you're welcome," He said awkwardly, "Just call me Zero."

Yuki's smile brightened a bit. "Alright, Zero."

"I'm glad you two seem to be getting along. You will be spending quite a bit of time together." Kaname interrupted, "Zero will be rooming just across the hall, so he won't be far in case you need him. He will sense any intruders before they could even get near you, isn't that right Zero?"

Zero realized Kaname was looking at him expectantly. "Uh, y-yeah. That's right," Zero stuttered.

Yuki nodded, smiling kindly. "I feel safer already. I cannot thank you enough, Zero. You have my gratitude."

This girl was making Zero feel awkward. "It's no big deal," he said, brushing off her flattery. Besides, it wasn't like he was going this for her… He was doing it for himself.

After the formalities of introductions were finally over, Kaname lead Zero across the hall to another bedroom. "This is where you will be sleeping." If there is anything you need, just let one of the maids know." Kaname opened the door and allowed Zero to explore what would be his living quarters for the next few months, give or take.

Zero looked around. It was about as fancy as every other room he'd seen; Satin sheets, a canopy bed, heavy curtains to block out the sun… the walls even had built-in bookshelves in the corner of the room along with a sitting area and a fireplace. It appeared roomie and comfortable. Zero wondered to the window beside the bed, checking out the view of the surrounding gardens and the stone wall enclosing it as well as the vast forests beyond that. A strange rustling sound interrupted his gazing and he suddenly noticed a strange device on the nightstand which seemed to be the source.

Picking it up, he must have looked confused because Kaname spoke up from where he stood in the doorway. "It's a sound monitor, the other is in Yuki's room. You will be able to hear what goes on in Yuki's bedroom during the night, in case she is attacked." Kaname explained. "Is there anything else you need, Mr. Kiryuu? I want to make sure you are comfortable during your stay."

"No, thanks." Zero replied simply. He was about to test out the bed but Kaname's hand caught his shoulder and Zero turned to face him.

"I hope you understand the seriousness of this job, Zero. I want to ensure that you will do your best work. You are the only one that I would entrusting with the safety of my most prized possession. I am putting my trust in you; that's not something to take lightly."

Zero nodded uneasily.

"Don't mess up, Zero. You _will_ pay dearly."

And with that, Kaname was soon gone and Zero stared after him a bit confused. Shaking off the sudden confrontation, Zero flopped down on the bed, exhaling heavily. He peered up at the ceiling for a moment before turning back to the side table where the monitor sat. He could hear Yuki's quiet humming and light movement. It was going to be very strange being able to hear her all the time. Wasn't that an invasion of her privacy? Because he felt a little perverted by listening in on her… He wondered if she knew about the monitor. Judging by her terrible singing, probably not.

A/N: I likely will not post any more chapters of this fanfic on this site, as it is a MA rating and is not allowed. If you want to read more of this story and keep up on the latest updates, you can visit my VK fanfic website at (remove the spaces): lemonlimemaidfanfiction. weebly

The link to my site can also be found on my profile. Review, please. It would make me happy :)


	2. Chapter 2

Zero jolted awake. He'd instantly realized the he'd fallen asleep on his new ridiculously comfy bed… And slept all night long, which was extremely unusual for him. It was morning again, only small rays of sunshine seeping in through the dark curtains. He turned over, glancing at the alarm clock on the night stand. It was 9am; he never slept that long! Cursing under his breath, he reluctantly left the comfort of his new bed. He padded across the room to where his belongings had been piled neatly in the corner and threw on the first shirt and pair of pants he found. He didn't bother unpacking, he'd do that later….

Suddenly, something occurred to him; it was really quiet. Shouldn't he be hearing something from Yuki's monitor? He slowly approached the listening device, bringing it up to his ear to listen… but only the very slight hum of the monitor itself met his ears. No sounds of breathing, no rustling, no voices… nothing.

Setting the device back down with an aggravated breath, Zero ran a hand through his silvery mess of hair on his head before he promptly left his bedroom and made his way across the hall, knocking on Yuki's door a bit firmly as to make sure his presence was heard. As he waited for a response, he silently urged himself to calm down. He knocked again impatiently and a bit harder. Just because she didn't answer, didn't mean that she was missing, he told himself.

As he thought, still no reply. "Hey, I'm coming in," he warned before opening Yuki's door and peering into her empty room. He sighed heavily in agitation. He wasn't in the mood for a wild goose chase… _'Come to think of it, what time do most humans usually wake in the mornings anyway,_ ' he wondered. Maybe she was just awake, up and about already… Eating breakfast perhaps? Although the foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach was telling him otherwise.

He made his way down to the kitchen table, but no one was there besides a few maids tidying up. _'Where the hell else could she be?'_

After nearly an hour of wondering about the manor, searching every inch of the place for Yuki and asking every servant and maid he came across, Zero was beginning to panic. He mentally scolded himself for being so stupid. First day on the job and he'd already lost his charge. He knew he shouldn't have accepted this ridiculous deal. He was a hunter, not a body guard! Sure, he did similar side jobs here and there, but he'd never worked as a personal body guard a day in his life. Just because he was quick and sneaky and good in combat, didn't mean he was cut out for chasing after a stupid little girl that obviously didn't know better than to wonder off…

Zero found himself searching the gardens that engulfed nearly the entire Kuran residence. Following one of the many winding paths that toured the gardens, Zero had rounded a corner and bumped into a blonde-haired, blue-eyed male vampire that seemed to look just as distressed as Zero did.

"Have you seen the Mistress?" Zero inquired, eyeing the other male suspiciously and brushing off his clothes as if they had acquired cooties from touching the vampire.

"You mean, Lady Yuki?" He other male paled, laughing nervously. "Well, you see…" he chose his words wisely, "she and I were doing her studies and I, eh… got distracted." He admitted timidly. "She may have wondered off to the outer gardens…"

"Outer gardens," Zero echoed skeptically.

"You know," he supplied, "The gardens OUTSIDE the wall."

Zero went pale, grasping the vampire in front of him by the collar, almost lifting him from the ground. "You mean she left the house?!" The blonde shortly nodded and Zero virtually threw him down, as he raced to find the lost girl.

'I swear, if she gets herself killed…' Zero didn't finish his thought, reaching the outskirts of the town bustling with people. 'Better yet, if she isn't dead when I find her, I'll do it myself.' He thought wryly, eyes scanning the wondering groups of people. "If I was a stupid, ignorant little girl," Zero thought to himself, "Where would I go?"

Yuki had visited a pet shop, a bakery, and a few boutiques but soon found herself lost... She'd been wondering around a rather shady part of the town for about half an hour and she wasn't sure of her way back.

Yuki's heart raced, her surroundings frightening and unfamiliar. Everything seems to wind and spin and seemed to acquire an odd, grey appearance. She wished with all her heart Kaname would save her somehow…

Yuki gasped in alarm, a hand suddenly on her shoulder. A man snagged her off the street and pulled her into the dark alley. Yuki was confronted by the thug of a man in front of her, a pocket knife in his hand. Crashing back to reality, she was frozen with fear… fear of what he planned to do to her. He looked her up and down appreciatively.

"Here, take my money," Yuki pleaded, timidly held out her coin purse but he just chucked in amusement in her face. She blinked in bewilderment at his reaction.

"I don't want your money, doll face." He grinned menacingly, revealing the point of his canines, "However, your blood… I'll take every last drop you have to offer."

Yuki started to scream but the vampire's hand muffled her cries before they had a chance to escape, his blade pressed against her jaw. He backed her up into the brick wall of the alley, forcing her head to the side for access to her sweet, delicate throat.

Yuki clenched her eyes shut and braced herself for the wrath of his fangs… But it never came. After a few moments, Yuki forced her eyes open to see the crazed vampire staring wide-eyed back at her before his eyes turned vacant and he fell against her, sliding down to the ground. Tears threatening to fall as she stared down at the corpse of the beast in wonder and confusion. And then she noticed the growing blood stain in the back of her attacker's jacket. He'd been shot. But… She hadn't heard a gunshot.

Zero approached her with determination in his step, fully ready to give her a piece of his mind. "You idiot! Do you _want_ to die? Are you not aware how dangerous it is to go out alone? I can't believe you'd-" Zero stopped short when he reached her and realized his words were falling on deaf ears, as she was just staring stupidly at the evaporating corpse at her feet as if in a trance, tears trailing down her cheeks. He'd lost his resolve, his chest tightening. She was in shock.

Slowly, her tearful eyes lifted to focus on Zero hovering over her. He'd almost dropped the gun in his hand as she threw herself into him, sobbing hysterically. Zero gawked awkwardly down at her, her arms tightly wrapped around his torso. Sobs wracked her entire body and she was trembling against him. He scratched his head, timidly attempting to gently pry the girl off of him. He looked around wondering if her wailing had caught anyone's attention yet. He'd used a silencer on his gun as to not cause a commotion, but she was quickly thwarting his efforts.

A bit panicked, Zero used his knowledge as a hunter to pinch a certain spot on her neck and render the girl unconscious. He caught her limp body as she collapsed before she could collide with the ground. He then heaved her over his shoulder and made their way back to the mansion, ignoring the strange looks and whispers he got from the passerbys.

About two thirds of the way home, Yuki began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, her brain slowly working to process the way her blurry surroundings swayed and it felt as though… she was being carried. She then noticed, she'd been staring at the ground, virtually hanging upside down. She slowly registered her predicament of being throw over her stranger of a bodyguard's shoulder. She began to struggle. "Put me down, put me down!" she demanded, squirming and making it incredibly difficult for Zero to continue carrying her.

"Fine."

With that, Yuki was ruthlessly thrown forward off his shoulder, her rear end hitting the ground with a pained "oompf." She winced, recovering and rubbing her sore bottom. Her limbs her numb and tingly as the feeling began to return to them from being upside down and hung over his shoulder. Yuki's gaze narrowed at Zero as he hovered, eyeing her expectantly. "What did you do to me?" she accused, brown eyes glaring daggers.

"W-what?" Zero was a bit taken aback. "I didn't do anything!" he defended. "You wondered off and I rescued you! You're lucky I came when I did."

Her skeptic eyes silently challenged him.

He ran a hand through his bangs and sighed, "I uh… used a pressure point to apply pressure to the artery in your neck… which caused your blood pressure to suddenly drop, resulting in you passing out," he admitted matter-of-factly, as if it were common knowledge and no big deal. He was now scrubbing a spot on his gun as if uninterested and avoiding her murderous eyes that he could feel burning into him.

After a moment, she sighed in defeat, feeling rather exhausted. She abandoned her glare. "Well," she said, "thank you… for saving me, that is."

Zero adverted his gaze to her, but her eyes were fixed on the dirt and her face downcast. He didn't really know what was going on in that head of hers, but… he couldn't say he was particularly interested. He offered her his hand and she peered up at him questioningly, a bit hesitant. "Can you stand?"

She nodded and accepted his hand, heaving her to her feet. He escorted her back to the manor, neither of them uttering a word. Yuki risked a glance up at her silver-haired savor as she trailed behind him. She wasn't too sure they'd gotten off to a great start after all. Just looking at him made her feel a bit agitated. She guessed she resented him a bit due to the fact that she would no longer have any privacy. She really only pretended to be happy about having a body guard for Kaname's sake… The whole spiel about feeling safer was mostly just to comfort and please him and his wishes. It wasn't necessarily Zero's fault that she didn't particularly like him hanging around though... She supposed he was just doing his job.

They'd finally made it back to the manor, much to Yuki's relief at seeing the familiar outline of her home in the distance. She'd gotten her spur of the moment adventure out of the way and she was fairly sure she wouldn't be pulling a stunt like that again for a while… Just relaxing sounded great at the moment.

Yuki rushed ahead of Zero, beating him to the house. He stared after her in exasperation at her energy that he knew he was going to have a hard time keeping up with.


End file.
